THE STORY BEHIND: Sibelius' Violin Concerto

On October 16, Bramwell Tovey and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra will present Tchaikovsky's Pathétique with violinist Jennifer Frautschi.

THE STORY BEHIND: Sibelius' Violin Concerto

Title: Violin Concerto, op.47, D minor

Composer: Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Last time performed by the Rhode Island Philharmonic: Last performed January 20, 2007 with Larry Rachleff conducting and soloist Jennifer Frautschi. In addition to a solo violin, this piece is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani and strings.

The Story:

"Jean can only be saved by the efforts of those closest to him; left to himself he will go to pieces. He has hobnobbed far too long and often with the dregs of Helsinki “culture” for him to be able to drag himself out of their clutches of his own free will."

These words of advice were written by the composer’s friend and benefactor, Axel Carpelan, to Sibelius’s wife, Aino. The message portrays Jean Sibelius at the height of turmoil and debauchery in 1903. On occasion during that time, the sensitive Aino actually had to drag the composer away from a tavern with the help of a friend. That way, he could sober up and try to meet his commitment to complete his violin concerto.
         
Little wonder, then, that Sibelius (who once dreamed of becoming a violin virtuoso) grew dissatisfied with the 1903 version of his concerto after its premiere and decided to revise it. Meanwhile, Aino had persuaded him to leave Helsinki in 1904 and move to the country villa where he would live the rest of his life. There, Sibelius’s life soon regained its equilibrium, and he went on to revise the violin concerto successfully in 1906.
         
The work is noted for its rhapsodic nature and technical challenges, all of which are dear to violinists. The style of themes is particularly idiomatic to the violin. In the first movement, the high, lyrical first theme contrasts with the brooding yet forceful second. Both find their way into the brilliant solo cadenza later in the movement.
         
In the engaging second movement, a “romance,” the melancholy theme of the opening section is set off by the even darker middle section material. This movement is known for its poignant emotional qualities.
         
The rondo finale is a warm, Gypsy-style movement full of bright spirits and rich, shady orchestration. The main theme was once characterized by Sir Donald Tovey as a “polonaise for polar bears.” Of course, Tovey meant it in good humor, for he went on to rank the work as “one of the three most attractive concertos ever written” and to remark, “I have not met with a more original, a more masterly, and a more exhilarating work than the Sibelius violin concerto.”

Program Notes by Dr. Michael Fink © 2021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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